📌 Quick Facts About Venezuela 🇻🇪
Venezuela is a South American country on the Caribbean coast, bordered by Colombia, Brazil, and Guyana. Its capital, Caracas, sits in a valley below El Ávila and is one of the most intense cities I visited in Latin America.
The country has enormous natural diversity, from Caribbean islands and Andean mountains to the Orinoco basin, Angel Falls, and the remote tepuis of the Gran Sabana. It is also a place where economics, politics, security, and daily life are impossible to separate from the travel experience.
- 🏛️ CapitalCaracas
- 💵 CurrencyVenezuelan bolívar (VES); US dollars widely used
- 🗣️ LanguageSpanish
- 🌡️ ClimateTropical, with major variation by altitude
- 🔌 Plug typeType A/B · *Anker Universal Travel Adapter
- 🌎 RegionSouth America
🌙 Arriving in Caracas at Night
I traveled to Venezuela with one of my best friends, Philipp. It was our first proper trip together, after having gone to Haiti together a few days earlier.
So after the Dominican Republic and Haiti, this made Venezuela the third country of the journey. We flew from Santo Domingo to Caracas and afterwards returned to Santo Domingo.
Everything started when we landed at Caracas Airport at night. At the time, Venezuela was still strongly associated with economic collapse, hyperinflation, and security concerns. The worst years of the crisis had already passed, but life was still far from normal.
One thing that immediately stood out was how dollarized the economy had become. Officially, the currency was still the Venezuelan bolívar, but most larger transactions were already taking place in US dollars. Smaller things, such as bus fares, were usually paid in bolívars.
Some locals from our flight helped us figure out the bus system, and we made our way from the airport into the city.
🤹 Staying With Jugglers in Guarenas
One of the biggest advantages of being a juggler is that there is a worldwide circus community. Originally, I am a juggler, and over the years I became quite well known within the juggling world.
This allowed me to stay with local jugglers in many countries during my journey to every country. Venezuela was no exception.
We stayed with friends in Guarenas, a city in Miranda State just outside Caracas and part of the wider Caracas metropolitan area. They hosted us at their circus training space, where we slept in a simple little garage-style room next to where they practiced.
For us, it was perfect. We did not have to pay for accommodation, and our hosts were happy to show us around their city and culture. On the very first evening, they took us out for drinks.
The party culture in Venezuela is fantastic. People are social, outgoing, and incredibly welcoming. The atmosphere reminded me exactly why I love Latin America so much. Oh, and do I have to mention that Venezuelan girls are exceptionally beautiful?
If you are looking for accommodation in Caracas, here are three popular options that offer a high level of comfort and service:
- Eurobuilding Hotel & Suites Caracas: one of the most popular hotels in Venezuela, known for its extensive facilities, large pool, and excellent location in eastern Caracas.
- Cayena-Caracas Hotel: a luxury boutique hotel in the upscale La Castellana district, offering elegant rooms, personalized service, and views of El Ávila mountain.
- JW Marriott Hotel Caracas: a reliable international luxury hotel in the El Rosal neighborhood, featuring modern rooms, a pool, and strong business-traveler amenities.
🏙️ Exploring Caracas
Venezuela is one of the most naturally spectacular countries in South America, with Caribbean coastline, the Andes, the Orinoco basin, Angel Falls, remote tepuis, and huge cultural energy.
I only visited Caracas and the surrounding area on this trip. It was enough to see a country full of contradictions: economic crisis and warmth, hardship and humor, rough streets and beautiful views, security concerns and incredible hospitality.
The next day, we headed into central Caracas. Caracas is a fascinating city because it constantly shifts between feeling rough and feeling beautiful.
On one street you find colorful murals, street art, patriotic paintings, and impressive architecture. On another street, things can suddenly feel much less comfortable.
The city reminded me somewhat of Bogotá, although I generally found Caracas to feel a little rougher. One thing I enjoyed was simply walking around and observing daily life. Despite all the difficulties Venezuela has faced, the city has a very creative energy.
We also used the Caracas Metro several times. At the time of our visit, the metro was completely free. The system had become so heavily subsidized that ticket collection had effectively been abandoned. You could simply walk in and ride.
🫓 A Venezuelan Weekend
Back in Guarenas, we visited a local river area in Miranda State where many families spend their weekends.
The atmosphere was fantastic. Families were having barbecues, children were swimming, music was playing, and everybody seemed to be enjoying life.
We spent the day relaxing there before going fruit shopping and making homemade arepas with our hosts.
For this blog, I should mention that the arepa is obviously Venezuelan. When I eventually write my Colombia blog, I will naturally explain that the arepa is Colombian. This is the only fair solution.
🏘️ Visiting Petare
One of the most memorable experiences of the trip was visiting Petare. Petare is often described as the most dangerous ghetto in Latin America and has long been associated with crime and violence.
You absolutely should not visit Petare on your own. Fortunately, our juggling friends had local connections there and organized a visit with people from the neighborhood.
We arrived by moto taxi and immediately noticed how different the atmosphere felt. There were people watching who entered and left the neighborhood. You could tell this was a place with its own rules and its own social structures.
At the same time, the welcome we received was incredible. Within minutes, dozens of people were following us, not in a threatening way, but simply because they were curious. Young people, older people, families, children, everyone wanted to know where we were from and why we had come to Petare.
People helped us take photos, showed us viewpoints, explained daily life in the barrio, and invited us into their homes. One family even offered us food and drinks. Since we had already eaten, we declined the food but happily stayed for drinks and conversation.
🌄 Sunset Views Over the Barrio
We spent the afternoon exploring the neighborhood. There were burned-out cars, piles of trash, improvised buildings, and all sorts of signs of hardship.
But there were also incredible viewpoints. Locals took us to a terrace overlooking the entire barrio, and the view was astonishing. Thousands of colorful homes stretched across the hillsides.
You can also see one of Caracas' most recognizable natural landmarks from there, a hill known locally as La Teta de Caracas (the Boob of Caracas) because of its shape.
The contrast between hardship and beauty was striking. We left before dark, which was strongly recommended by everyone we met.
🚠 The Teleférico de Caracas
Another highlight was the famous Teleférico de Caracas. This cable car climbs from Caracas into El Ávila National Park and offers some of the best views of the city.
Getting there was an adventure in itself. Like often in Venezuela, nobody arrived on time to leave. If somebody in Venezuela tells you they will meet you in two hours, there is a good chance they actually mean four.
Eventually we made it. At the time, locals advised us to pretend to be Russian tourists rather than German tourists because "unfriendly" (nationalities that the governements dislikes) foreigners were often charged significantly higher prices. So Philipp and I suddenly became Russian for an afternoon.
Русский, русский.
Whether that still works today, I have absolutely no idea.
By the time we reached the top, it was already dark. I would have loved to see the city during daylight, but even at night the view was spectacular, with thousands of lights stretching across the valley. We also tried local sweets, including guava-based "dulce de guayaba" and other Venezuelan snacks.
A local television crew even interviewed us during the visit.
🚦 Busking in Venezuela
One of my favorite memories came from spending time with my juggling friends. Many of them earned their living by busking at traffic lights.
They would perform quick juggling acts whenever cars stopped at red lights and collect tips from drivers. I decided to join them for a few rounds. Of course, I gave them all the money we earned.
The funniest part was watching people's reactions. A blonde European standing in the middle of a Caracas intersection asking for money through juggling is apparently not something people see every day.
People were extremely confused. I am not sure my presence improved their business model,
but it certainly entertained everyone involved.
Fun fact: I used to busk myself quite a bit in Europe.
🛫 Leaving Venezuela
Eventually it was time to leave. The final challenge was immigration at Caracas Airport. To this day, it remains one of the slowest airport immigration experiences I have ever had.
We waited for around 3 hours just to leave the country. Whether that was normal or whether something unusual was happening that day, I honestly do not know.
Eventually, though, we made it through. We "last call" boarded our flight back to Santo Domingo and said goodbye to country number 102.
💭 Final Thoughts on Visiting Venezuela
I absolutely loved Venezuela. The country has faced enormous economic and political challenges, and those challenges are impossible to ignore while visiting.
At the same time, I found Venezuelans to be among the friendliest, funniest, and most welcoming people I have met anywhere in Latin America.
The hospitality was incredible. The nightlife was fantastic. The scenery was beautiful. And despite all the difficulties, people seemed determined to enjoy life.
I only explored Caracas and the surrounding area, but I would love to return one day and see more of the country. Venezuela has some of the most spectacular landscapes in South America, and I barely scratched the surface.
Anyone up for a Latam adventure?